Paid Feeding Assistant

Code of Federal Regulations 483.160 allows for paid feeding assistants in certified facilities in Missouri. The paid feeding assistant does not have to be a
certified nurse assistant.

Federal regulations requires the feeding assistant to be taught certain topics. A State-approved training course for paid feeding assistants must include,
at a minimum, 8 hours of training in the following:

(1) Feeding techniques.
(2) Assistance with feeding and hydration.
(3) Communication and interpersonal skills.
(4) Appropriate responses to resident behavior.
(5) Safety and emergency procedures, including the Heimlich maneuver.
(6) Infection control.
(7) Resident rights.
(8) Recognizing changes in residents that are inconsistent with their normal behavior and the importance of reporting those changes to the supervisory nurse.

A facility must maintain a record of all individuals used by the facility as feeding assistants, who have successfully completed the training course for paid feeding
assistants.

The following requirements may be met by utilizing the manual created by CMS or by using the identified unit
and lesson plans from the current Nurse Assistant in Long Term Care Facility Manual, 2001 Revision. The classroom and On-the Job time requirements are recommended in the
Nurse assistant in Long Term Care Facility Instructor Manual, 2001 Revision.

Federal Regulation Requirement-Feeding Techniques, Assistance with Feeding and Hydration and Safety and emergency procedures, including the Heimlich maneuver.

Unit 1: The Nurse Assistant

Federal Regulation Requirement-Recognizing
changes in residents that are inconsistent with their normal
behavior and the importance of reporting those changes to
the supervisory nurse.

Unit 1: The Nurse Assistant

Lesson Plan

Classroom Instruction

On-The-Job Training/laboratory

5-Human Anatomy and Physiology

90-120 minutes

0

6-Observing and Reporting

60 minutes

0

This training is broken into two aspects, part classroom and part on-the-job training or a laboratory setting, use whichever is most advantageous for you and
your residents. You may adjust the on-the-job training hours according to class size. In other words, if you are training only one (1) or two (2) individuals, your
practicum hours may be less than shown in the tables above.

The facility must maintain a record of all employees used by the facility as paid feeding assistants. The record should include verification that they have
successfully completed a State-approved training course for paid feeding assistants.

This regulation became effective September 28. 2007 and pertains only to certified facilities.

A licensed registered nurse must teach this short course. Also, keep in mind other relevant regulations are to be followed.